17 May 2010

Kelly Harmon’s Designs

White wooden gates lead to “Patch of Blue” – a Malibu horse farm, recently on the market.

Recently, Artie from Color Outside the Lines, sent me a real estate blurb about a house that had sold in Malibu. The brochure states the house was designed by Kelly Harmon, a famous Californian interior designer, who has long captured my attention. Doing a little stalking, aka Google research, the Malibu farm, called “Patch of Blue” appears to have actually belonged to Ms. Harmon and her family. Over the years, several of Harmon’s homes have been published in magazines and design books and I have seen pictures of her horse farm - but this real estate brochure’s pictures don’t look familiar. Why? Trying to sort it all out, confusion sets in. Town and Country Magazine once did a spread on her Sagaponack vacation house on Long Island which was also called Patch of Blue. In a House Beautiful spread, her Malibu horse ranch is called “Butterfly Knoll Farm” and is referred to continually as a cottage, which this house certainly isn’t. Are there two Malibu horse farms? To further muddy the waters, there is Harmon’s Cliff May designed house in a L.A. canyon. It literally took me days to figure out which pictures belonged to which house: fueled by memories of old photoshoots and clippings from yellowing magazines, along with pages from numerous design books – I think I can safely say I have Harmon’s real estate all figured out now: the things I do for this blog!!

Regardless of the correct name of this property or that, it’s Ms. Harmon’s aesthetic that is the important element. Her style is a mix of high and low – rustic and country pieces with painted, chipping finishes mix with pricey antiques from Sweden and France. Her color palette is monochromatic – all whites, beiges, ivories and creams – along with accents of blue. She says in one interview she really can not live with the color red. Everything about her style oozes comfort, ease and softness. A trademark of hers is the use of architectural elements – vintage shutters and doors, old windows, and columns which she adds to the outside and inside of all her houses, creates a fabulous atmosphere reminiscent of a European country manor. Another trick of her trade is adding white washed, peeling and crusty beams and rafters to most ceilings. Harmon can effortlessly turn any vanilla tract home into a French mas. And always, there is the lush, natural landscaping with flowering vines and roses everywhere. Add to this - her horses. All three of houses, in Malibu, L.A. and Sagaponack, are shared with her horses. She designs wonderful stables for them that resemble old churches from the countryside of Ireland.

Ms. Harmon has a long public history – first married at a young age to the famous automobile inventor John DeLorean, her brother is the actor Mark Harmon and she was a long time spokesperson for Tic-Tacs. Today, Harmon is a well known interior designer, painter and horsewoman. Unfortunately, she has no web site, which is such a shame. I absolutely love her style – and it’s a tragedy that photographs of her work are so hard to locate. Maybe one day she will write a book herself chronicling her fabulous design career. Some of the images shown today are over a decade old, yet they seem fresh and timeless, thanks to her use of antiques and solid fabrics – there are no trendy patterned fabrics here.

The first property shown today – Patch of Blue – is the horse farm in Malibu, across the beach fronting Highway 101. The farm eventually sold to Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr., according the blog, The Real Estalker.

Patch of Blue Farm, Malibu:

The first house is Kelly Harmon’s Malibu horse farm, Patch of Blue, recently sold to Robert Downey Jr.

Bing Maps shows the property, with its main house, arenas, stables, and barn that was converted into a guest house. The front yard that overlooks Highway 101 and Zuma Beach is cut off in this view – it actually is quite large. The property is seven acres.

Entering through the front door, the view leads back to the main living area and out towards the Pacific ocean. Harmon’s decorating style is evident in the lobby: a bleached daybed, wicker baskets, and faded rug. The walls are white stucco and the floors are parquet. The real estate brochure says the house was built in 1979. I imagine that Harmon redid the stairwell and banister.

The main living room: while the room looks relaxed and rustic with its wood beams – pricey Swedish antique sofa and chairs mix with an antique limestone fireplace.

Closeup view of the main living room – notice the vintage shutters indoors, a Harmon trademark. I love the mixture of the painted Swedish antique chairs and sofa with the French ladderback chair with rush seat. Harmon prefers to use area rugs – mostly old and worn, with muted colors.

This room looks like a combination sitting room and office. I love the striped slipcover chairs and the blue painted bookshelves. I assume this room is upstairs, overlooking the ocean.

This sitting room shares a fireplace with an adjoining room. I love how Harmon mixes in pricey antique bouillette lamps with pine picnic tables. These types of lamps with tole shades show up in many of her rooms. Notice how worn her rug is! Love that!!!

The master bedroom – in true Harmon style: Fine French antique chair and chaise longue mix with twig night stands, Swedish cabinet, and old vintage shutters. I love how she added the rustic white washed rafters. She layers rugs over wall to wall sisal. So pretty!!!

The back of the house – above is the master bedroom with its large balcony. Love the brick terrace. Harmon’s landscape is always an important element in her designs.

The back of the house overlooking the Pacific ocean.

Antique brick terrace off the back of the house. Romantic flowering vines are growing throughout the property.

Patch of Blue has several horse arenas and pastures, along with riding trails. Must be nice for the horses!!!

The stables are so romantic looking with their plank wood doors. The real estate brochure states the stalls are “rose covered.”

AWWWW!!!! Love the shutters.

Seeing the Patch of Blue farm started my mind turning – and questioning. I remembered seeing the photoshoot of her Malibu horse farm, but it didn’t look like this house. Were there two Malibu horse farms? For several days, I searched old magazines and clippings, web sites, tax rolls, and old real estate brochures. The reason why this house didn’t look like the one published in 2004 in House Beautiful was because it wasn’t. Several years before Harmon lived at Patch of Blue, she lived right down the street at another Malibu horse farm! This farm is called Butterfly Knoll Farm. Do you remember these pictures from that shoot?

Butterfly Knoll Farm, Malibu:

The living room at Butterfly Knoll Farm – the first Malibu horse farm, photographed by House Beautiful in 2004.

House Beautiful repeatedly called this house a “cottage.” It is also much older and smaller than the house at Patch of Blue. On the property is a charming horse stable that resembles an old Irish church. There are also riding trails, stables, and an artist studio. Here, is the living room of the cottage. The master bedroom is seen through the open doors. This living room has all her trademarks – low and high – pine picnic tables mixed with elegant French and Swedish antiques. Add to that, her columns and shutters. Note that the coffee table is now in her current Malibu horse farm – Patch of Blued, and the Swedish chairs appear to have been sold to a client (see next story below.)

The same living room – another view.

The master bedroom of her original horse farm in Malibu - Butterfly Knoll Farm. I adore the antique wood canopy with the checked fabric. The bed has a wonderful lace and linen spread.Notice the window.

The other side of the gorgeous bedroom with a large antique window which came from a Texas church!! Notice how the stucco walls are sculpted into the shape of a mantel. The bedroom was once the garage before Harmon renovated the cottage.

The kitchen at the Butterfly Knoll Farm. Love the chicken wire cabinets.

The original pictures from the sale of Butterfly Knoll Farm are still on the internet – years and years later!!! This is from the brochure, showing the adorable bathroom with French doors opening up to the outside garden. So Californian.

The adorable horse stable, designed by Harmon to look like an Irish countryside church.

Besides the two horse farms in Malibu, Harmon and family live in an original Cliff May designed house in an L.A. canyon. I couldn’t find evidence of that house being photographed, but her Sagaponack house, also called Patch of Blue, on Long Island, NY, was photographed at least twice. The second time – was after Harmon had added two wings onto a smaller beach house. Of course, her horses are here too! The summer house in NY is so beautiful – even more rustic than her Californian houses. Here are a few pictures from the beach house in NY, as seen in several different design books that I spent two days searching through!!!

Patch of Blue beach house, Sagaponack, NY:

I apologize for the terrible scan – the pages ripped! Here is the Sagaponack beach house. I love this! Bleached floors, rustic columns and beams. Slipcovered furniture. There is even a rare patterned linen fabric in this house – unusual for Harmon. Notice the adorable Swedish table and chairs in the back corner. I adore the library steps going to nowhere. And notice at the back right, the stairs banister – so cute!

The other side of the living room above shows the dining area, filled with painted Swedish antique chairs and cabinet. Harmon was into Swedish antiques long before they were trendy. The chandelier is fabulous. I love how “undecorated” her style is.

And, there is this hauntingly beautiful scene of the breakfast room in Sagaponack, showing an antique Swedish chandelier. The door’s patina is incredible.

More Kelly Harmon Interiors as seen in the now defunct Western Interiors magazine:

This house was designed by Kelly Harmon for clients who live in a classic Cliff May house in a canyon nearby her own Cliff May house in L.A. The neighborhood is one of the few in L.A. where horses are still allowed. Again, Harmon designed these stables to look like an old country church. Notice the charming stable doors and brick lined drive.

Close up of stables, with its antique French doors and brick lined walk. Harmon found 40 doors in an old French abbey which were used throughout this property. Also, a large cache of vintage shutters from Long Island was also used. I could live in the stables myself and be quite happy!!!!

The kitchen is so charming! Notice the rock wall, the antique wood mantel, the stone floor. This certainly looks European!! These chairs look identical to the Swedish chairs seen in Harmon’s Butterfly Knoll Farm. Beautiful table.

This view from the kitchen shows the cabinetry and range hood designed by Harmon.

The dining room with rustic rafters, French doors, linen curtains, and antique table and chairs. The chairs came from Cliff May, via the Hearst Castle.

Closeup of the dining room, with its large painted Spanish credenza.

The bedroom is gorgeous – a French bench covered in an Aubusson tapestry sits at the foot of the bed while the pillows are covered in antique lace. I love flat weave patterned carpets as seen here – they are a great alternative to seagrass, which some people find uncomfortable for the bedroom.

More of the antique doors from France are used as shutters in the master bath. Harmon designed the bathtub using travertine – to resemble a horse trough. The chandelier shows her love of mixing the high and the low. I love how she hung a piece of simple burlap at the window. The stucco walls are so beautiful – adding so much texture to the space. The floor is saltillo pavers.

In a guest room, Harmon striped the finish off the twin beds and used simple linen as coverings. Beautiful.

Most rooms in the clients house have French doors – and a patio, hallmarks of a Cliff May design. The doors open to the outside. Here, the rectangular pool is newly designed by Harmon, replacing a kidney shaped one. Interestingly, when this couple renovated a house in Wyoming, they chose Madeline Stuart as the interior designer (shown in Elle Decor magazine.) Those Wyoming interiors are quite different than this Harmon designed house – the Wyoming house is more contemporary, sparse, and much less romantic.

Miscellaneous Harmon Designs:

Another photograph of Kelly Harmon’s design which I found on Velvet and Linen’s blog. Again, there is no attribute to where it is from. But could this be in the Cliff May L.A. canyon home? I think it must be from one of her own houses because it is the same coffee table found in the Patch of Blue house. It’s so typical of Harmon’s wonderful aesthetic – the mix of French antiques, antique doors, shutters, beams, and the ever present bouilette lamps!

And finally, another Harmon design, this time, Rooms to Inspire showed this bedroom. Again, there is no clue which project it is from, yet all her trademarks are here: the odd shaped windows and shutters, the linen fabrics and the painted and rustic antiques.

I hope you’ve enjoyed looking at pictures of Kelly Harmon’s work. She has no web site unfortunately! I wish she would think about getting one to show her wonderful work – or perhaps write a book. It’s sad to think there is no permanent record of all her fabulous houses.

Reminder – a new Skirted Roundtable is up – please listen HERE. AND AND AND – Mary Douglas Drysdale is coming to the Skirted Roundtable tomorrow night!!!! WOWOWOWOW.

91 comments:

Gosh, I loved this. I remember seeing one of her homes.... I think it must have been the Malibu one... years and years ago in a magazine. She was in her studio and one of those gorgeous horses had stuck his head in the window to watch her as she worked. Pure fairyland. I know I still have that photo somewhere... I have to go on a search now to retrieve it.

Thank you for this great post!! I absolutely love the way she approaches design and her houses feel so authentic, warm,classy and comfortable. I remember seeing her first house in Malibu which was published and felt I had just seen a little piece of heaven....my dream house with Malibu wather, privcy and the sea...

Does she need someone to come and clean out the stables? I don't even like horses, but to be surrounded by that I might start to like them, lol! Absolutely gorgeous home and property! Beautiful pictures!

Thank you for the incredible education! Your research is fantastic and I love how you point out aspects of the various rooms that I would have overlooked. I'm not a big horse lover myself, but those gorgeous stables might just make me change my mind!

Thank you, Joni, for finally printing pics & writing about Kelly Harmon's homes! I have always loved her style & have saved her pics from magazines over the years. I agree, it is so hard to find much about her online as I have also tried looking. She is one of my all time favorite designer's!!

She has great style. Saw the first Malibu home in magazines several years ago and loved it. Remember seeing an old rustic door she used on her wall (I belief in her bedroom)for aesthetics rather than use. Thank you for showing both ranches. Your blog is the BEST!!! Her sister Kris was married to Ricky Nelson.

What a treat! Loved the Malibu sitting room with the shelves painted blue. Love the sunflower andirons in the last pic. You're right about no website or book - this should be documented. You should give her a ring!

Joni,This was fabulous!!! I think we stalk all of the same designers! Although you do alot more stalking than I do. I emailed Kelly about 2 years ago thinking I would never receive a response and low and behold next day heard back from her! Thank you for all of the time you put into this! I love, love, loved it!!!

Hello there! This post may hold the record for me ~ longest time spent oohing and aahing .... Thank you so much for sharing all of this beauty. I just want to run out and find a few antique shutters ~ right now!

Thank you, Joni! YOU should write a book. Your dedication and research, as well as your eye and writing skills certainly qualify. Every time you take us on a dream tour. Horses, AND the beach. Not to mention this stellar home, how wonderful is that?! xoxo Lidy

How I SOOO wish she could find the time to publish a book~~~ it would be the FIRST book I've ever actually had the excitement of anticipating, & for which I would even stand in line if I couldn't order it in advance!!!!!!

It reminds me of some of the interiors I see on homes built by archetect Jack Arnold. Oh I could look at pics like this ALL day. Joanie you keep diggin this stuff up because I look forward to my "daily" fix. Love what she said about red, I am in the process now of putting Kilz on my dining room walls because several years back I jumped on the east coast bandwagon of painting the DR red! These pics are a great inspiration to me, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!

I have that old '80's magazine issue too, around somewhere, the one with the horse putting its head in through the dutch door or stable door while Kelly works at her draftsman table; she inspires us here in CA too, then and now-- Kelly and her work are truly Malibu at its best. It's wonderful that you pulled together so much information on Kelly's work, Joni; thank you so much for your diligence....

Although Madeline Stuart is one of my wonderful clients and is enormously talented, the Harmon aesthetic is what makes me feel in touch with life. This is a wonderfully gifted designer. Weren't there a couple of photos in the 2004 House Beautiful article with one of her favorite horses half-way into the living room? Love this post (I'm taking notes). Thanks.

Joni, this post is a masterpiece of research and writing. The enormous amount of time you put into sleuthing is evident in the variety of rooms and homes you traced. What I found amazing was the tread holding the post together was Kelly's aesthetic. She remained true to her style house after house.Congratulations on a well-written post, and thank you!

Thank you for the huge task of compiling Kelly's work.( Have been her fan for decades.)You can close your eyes and smell the sea breezes when you see her homes. FYI - She kept her Gustavian chairs. Look at her Sagaponick breakfast nook.Count the slats (8) - now count the slats on her clients heavier, cream painted chairs.(6)VOILA! (I think Kelly would think it sacrosanct to paint over that original patina for a client.)

I agree you should write a book - A compilation of your beautiful posts - I sure would buy it!! You should get paid for all the research you do and your cognitive ability to detail is above and beyond. You do a fabulous job and deserve recognition. Look forward to each and every post. Thanks again for all you do.

Purty, purty, purty -- I can almost feel that cool, dry California air coming in through the windows. Breezy and relaxed -- I just love it.

PS Joni, if you haven't seen it already (and it's another fine example of California coastal elegance, although I don't know who the designer was) please have a look at the Montecito home of Diandra Douglas that is currently for sale. I know I have a greater chance of getting hit by an asteroid than being able to afford a house like that, but much like this house, it's nice to dream!

Joni, thank you so much for these tours. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing these homes. They are clean and crisp and comfortable while being very stylish and timeless. Hats off to Artie for tipping you to this brochure, and hats off to you for giving us the grand tour!

Lucky Robert Downey Jr. for getting to live in that breath-taking Malibu ocean view farm! I love the other farm, especially the picture with the Gothic Texas church window. If I lived in either of these homes I would know for sure that I had died and gone to heaven! Thanks for sharing!

yummmmm! some seriously gorgeous worn woods in all these homes, which means instant swooning on my part. you pointed out one of my favorite details though - the perfectly worn rugs atop wall to wall sisal. LOVE!

I just don't even know where to start. Do you need a vacation? Are you just exhausted not only from the research but from the sheer adrenaline of being a part of something so fabulous. There are just no words. It sounds silly to even make a singular comment about the rooms. At the start I was going to comment that I am not fond of the blue bookcases and to be honest I'm still not. But this is design at its best. This was like picking up a great magazine or book and flipping quickly through the pages to see it all and then coming back to savor each page. I just wish we could sit and talk. Who am I to say , but well done and thank-you.

Do you feel like you need a vacation? Are you just exhausted from the adrenaline of being involved with something so fabulous? I feel like I have just picked up a wonderful new book or magazine and have to hurry through the pages as if not to miss anything and then come back and slowly take in each one. I was going to comment that I am not a fan of the blue bookshelves, and honestly I'm still not, but commentary seem so unnecessary. This is truly fabulous design. I wish we could just sit and talk.

I just don't get your blog. You just post other peoples work, and promote other stores, etc. What's so difficult about that. Do you get permission from all the photos you use that are other peoples work? Seems like a waste.

There is really NO blog like your's, Joni!!! How long did that post take you?? Fabulous pix and your captions are very helpful/interesting. We are the lucky recipients of your attention to detail and thoroughness. Let me guess...you were an A+ student??? Thanks so much!

And to "Meghan"...your sour remarks show how jaded you have become about blogs in general, where MOST people are selling something. Joni's blog reveals and shares and educates all who read it. A rare treasure...so different and so appreciated. Hope you and the rest of Blogdom can catch up to this gracious way of being...

Joni...another amazing post, thank you! I've loved Kelly's work for years and have always been in awe of the beautiful antique pieces she is able to acquire...they are so unique and she incorporates them flawlessly into her designs.

Love to return to your post again...and again. Having lived in Ca. I'm a bit confused about the orientation of Patch of Blue. You said the front of the house overlooks the Highway and Zuma Beach. Yet in the photo looking thru the front door and out the BACK you see pasture and horses overlooking the ocean. The house would have to be set on a peninsula surrounded by ocean front and back? I've never seen that type of setting in Malibu???

Honestly, when you look at those pictures doesn't it feel like someone just moved that furniture in for the photo shoot. What gives it all away are the book shelves upon which sit books not one of which has she ever read. Those houses don't look lived in. It is like she is just passing through. I don't intend to appear mean spirited but in spite of the warmth of color and texture something is missing. The only place that feels real is the stable!

You don't need to print this if its too negative. Its just my opinion.

The stable with the antique French doors... oh my! Can I come back as the horse, seriously? I recall a magazine layout years ago with a drafting board, a horse and a chandelier...it made me want to re-do our little barn at the time! Monica

Okay, I NEVER comment, but I have to say something because I have come back to this post so So SO many times since it first went up. Thank you for your exhaustive research and insightful comments on Kelly Harmon's work. I LOVE LOVE LOVE your blog - better than taking a class! Thanks Joni for all you do to educate and expose us to good design.

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I loved Blue farm, with its pale neutral colors, the living room with its open beam ceiling and bookcases, and the comfortable bedroom with the enormous windows and doors, such a pretty setting! Wonderful decorating job.

Except - is the road noise from highway 101 intense? You must have to have acryllic windows to block the sound, which means you can't open them unless you are willing to hear constant road noise. That would take away some of the pastoral charm of 7 acres, to me at least.And this would be another of my worries - don't you get horse flies and the smell of droppings living that close to horses?

Thank you so much for this! I am currently in the redesign phase of my own horse barn in Pennsylvania and via pinterest and instagram ended up learning about Kelly Harmon designs. Then, miraculously found this amazing post!!! Thank you!!!